Introduction to Sonification

Abstract

This chapter provides an introduction into the world of sonification, why it exists, and how we may benefit from it. It presents the material in a way that requires minimal prior knowledge and defines key terms necessary for the content comprehension. A series of common realworld scenarios are presented and revisited throughout the chapter to illustrate key traits and the underutilized sonification potential. They are followed by some of the common-sense strategies that have emerged from this nascent field of research. Further, the chapter explores the full potential of sonification to help us quantify the limits of human ability to perceive and interpret spatial audio streams while also sidestepping some of the key limitations of the current virtual approaches to spatializing sound.